The Treasure
by Karl Draklord
Summary: Vaan and Balthier found a treasure, but what is it actually?
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: **I did not own Final Fantasy XII and any of its characters, places and all of the things inside the game. I'm just a fan and I write only for fun.

**Author's Note:** This is my second FFXII fanfic. I think this chapter is too short, but I'll try to make the next chapters longer. Feel free to review.

**The Treasure**

**Chapter 1: Buried Treasure**

A glint on the sand caught Vaan's attention and he walked towards it.

_Must be gil that someone have dropped…_ he thought.

But then he realizes that it is not even a piece of gil. It is only a tip of something bigger, the rest of it buried in the sand.

"Balthier, come here. I found something"

Balthier snorts and walked up to Vaan

"What is it?" he asked

"Don't know. Maybe a treasure or something like that"

The thought of treasure made Balthier's eyes widened.

They dig up the thing and found it to be a small gold pot with two handles on its sides.

"Looks like a rare treasure. Must be expensive" Balthier said as he admired the pot's beautiful, intricate design carved on it.

Vaan, noticing the greedy look in Balthier's eyes said to him

"I found it so it's mine"

"But when I take it from you, it'll be mine" Balthier grinned.

"No, it's mine!" Vaan said as he tried to snatch the pot from Balthier's hands.

Vaan got hold of one of the pot's handle and Balthier got the other. They're tugging the pot hard when suddenly it glows brightly.

"What the.." Balthier said as the glow grows bigger and brighter, nearly blinding both of them.

He felt a very intense pain in his head and then suddenly become unconscious.

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What do you think of this story? Comments and suggestion for the upcoming chapters are welcome.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: A Little Walk at Estersand**

A few hours earlier….

"Damn! Ashe is going to _kill_ me for this" Balthier said as he and Vaan were searching for Ashe's lost wedding ring. Balthier have dropped it for sure, and he's not going to subject himself to the princess's wrath.

"It's my entire fault to begin with. I shouldn't ask for the wedding ring in the first place" Balthier said to Vaan, who was busily eyeing the ground before them.

"Did Ashe know about this?"

"No. Don't tell her"

"We better find it fast. But I don't think she will mention about it for a long time. Not until all of this finished"

Balthier nodded. He knew that very well, but it just doesn't feel right. He won't feel relieved until the ring is found.

"Where did you think you dropped it?"

"In the Yardang Labyrinth, north of the Outpost I think"

"But why we're looking here? Let's haul ass to the Yardang Labyrinth"

"That's exactly what I want to say. Except for the word 'haul ass'"

Vaan and Balthier are now in the labyrinth. Not much of a labyrinth, anyway. Only a fool would get lost in this so-called labyrinth, as Balthier said to Vaan earlier.

"Why didn't you ask the others to help?" Vaan asked

"Great. The more people searching for it, the more suspicious our princess would be" He said sarcastically.

"Did they know where we are now?"

"Yeah, I told Penelo we were going for a little walk at the Dalmascan Estersand"

"You tell her _that_? You think she's gonna fall for that?"

"Well, I did not think of any other words…"

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Meanwhile, in Rabanastre…

Noticing the absence of the sky pirate and sky pirate to-be, Ashe asked

"Where are Vaan and Balthier?"

"Heading out to Estersand for awhile, Balthier told me. But I'm sure they're up to no good" Penelo said.

Fran just kept silent. She knows what they are searching for and decided to let Balthier handle it on his own. Basch is sleeping on the couch, dead tired of last day's successful hunt.

Five hours later…

Ashe, who has just awoken from her nap, realizes that Balthier and Vaan are nowhere to be seen. She looked around her. Fran was busy sharpening her arrows and Penelo giggled wildly as Basch told her a joke.

_Where are they?_ She wondered.

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Well, that's chapter 2. It explains a lot why Vaan and Balthier are out in the desert in the first chapter.


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